Weber-stephen Products LLC

Eric Knappenberger

Matthew G Lerch

Jeffery C Emmerich

Julio C Zuleta

Jeffrey C Emmerich

Provided is an apparatus and method for protecting against unsafe electric current conditions. A protections circuit may be used in a device, such as an electric grill, that has one or more electric loads, such as heating elements. The protection circuit may protect against various failure scenarios, including, without limitation, instances of ground fault, over current, driver failure, and failure of a microprocessor. In response to a failure, the protection circuit may trip a latch relay or disable a triac driver to stop current from flowing.

Electric grill with current protection circuitry

Provided is an apparatus and method for a digital power supply that can provide independent power control, and control variable power, for two or more electrical loads. Disclosed embodiments may reduce the magnitude of harmonic currents and/or flicker introduced into a power system. Embodiments include a microprocessor that delivers power to electric loads using phase-controlled AC current. The microprocessor may calculate a power array corresponding to a requested power for each electric load. Logic is provided for populating the power army in a pattern that reduces the magnitude of harmonic currents and flicker.

Digital power supply

Provided is an apparatus and method for a digital power supply that can provide independent power control for two or more electrical loads. Some disclosed embodiments provide continuous, variable power and other disclosed embodiments provide discrete power levels. Disclosed embodiments may reduce the magnitude of harmonic currents and/or flicker introduced into a power system. Embodiments include a microprocessor that delivers power to electric loads using phase-controlled AC current. In some embodiments, the microprocessor may calculate a power array corresponding to a requested power for each electric load. Logic is provided for populating the power array in a pattern that reduces the magnitude of harmonic currents and flicker. Portions of the disclosure include a band controller for delivering power to achieve and maintain a desired target temperature, and a wireless controller for controlling temperature from a remote device.

Digital power supply with wireless monitoring and control

Provided is an apparatus and method for protecting against unsafe electric current conditions. An example method includes accessing a selected operating mode for a heating element of the electric grill using at least one user input device of the electric grill, the heating element connected to a voltage line and a neutral line; measuring, using a temperature probe, a temperature of the heating element; estimating an ambient temperature at a location within a cook box of the electric grill spaced apart from the heating element, the estimation of the ambient temperature based on the measured temperature of the heating element; and using the estimated ambient temperature to determine when a target temperature corresponding to the selected operating mode is reached.

Wireless control and status monitoring for electric grill with current protection circuitry

Provided is an apparatus and method for protecting against unsafe electric current conditions. A protections circuit may be used in a device, such as an electric grill, that has one or more electric loads, such as heating elements. The protection circuit may protect against various failure scenarios, including, without limitation, instances of ground fault, over current, driver failure, and failure of a microprocessor. The microprocessor may further be in wireless communication with a remote device and wirelessly communicate error codes indicative of an error, and receive control signals from the remote device for controlling temperature or turning the grill off. The remote device may also receive operating parameters and create a log of the electric grill's conditions at the time of an error.

Provided is an apparatus and method for a digital power supply that can provide independent power control, and control variable power, for two or more electrical loads. Disclosed embodiments may reduce the magnitude of harmonic currents and/or flicker introduced into a power system. Embodiments include a microprocessor that delivers power to electric loads using phase-controlled AC current. The microprocessor may calculate a power array corresponding to a requested power for each electric load. Logic is provided for populating the power array in a pattern that reduces the magnitude of harmonic currents and flicker.

Provided is an apparatus and method for protecting against unsafe electric current conditions. A protections circuit may be used in a device, as an electric grill, that has one or more electric loads, such as heating elements. The protection circuit may protect against various failure scenarios, including, without limitation, instances of ground fault, over current, driver failure, and failure of a microprocessor. In response to a failure, the protection circuit may trip a latch relay or disable a triac driver to stop current from flowing.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Eric Knappenberger